Page 121 of A Touch of Poison

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Rose guffawed. “Didn’t know you were that drunk.”

Ari squeezed her arm, staring.

From Ella’s cheek, blackened tendrils spread across her skin. Her whimper woke me from my horrified stupor.

The world pitched like someone had pulled the ground itself from beneath my feet.

I’d poisoned Ella.

I’d…

My heart leapt, like it just needed one great beat to force blood into me and make me move.

I tore off my necklace and fumbled with the lid, my shaking hands useless. Perry went to help. “Don’t touch me!”

Ella wheezed, fingers clawing as an awful high-pitched sound came from her throat, like she was trying to scream but didn’t have breath to.

Quickly. Quickly.

My vision tunnelled to the potion bottle, and I dragged in a breath, held it, and gripped the lid. I turned it, chin wobbling as Ella went silent.

She was dying. Maybe already dead. I’d killed her.

Oh gods, I’d killed her.

“How many fucking times does this thing need to turn before it comes off?” My voice broke as I shouted, every part of me raw.

Then, with a soft clink, the lid dropped to the floor.

Ella lay still. So, so still.

My ears roared, leaving only muffled sounds in the rest of the room.

Move. Fucking move, Katherine.

Holding the precious bottle in both hands, I bent over Ella and tipped the antidote into her gaping mouth.

“Please.” I didn’t know who I begged, but I did. “Please.”

I waited.

She didn’t move.

It was just a hug. The thing I’d wanted from her for so long. Ahug.

On the edge of my awareness, Rose held Ari, who buried her face in Rose’s chest. Perry sat back on her heels.

“Do something,” Ari sobbed.

There was nothing more I could do. The antidote was supposed to work. I’d left it too late. I was too slow. The lid.

It was just a hug.

I covered my face and shook my head, taking a long moment to realise I was still whispering it over and over again: “Please. Please.Please.”

A choked cry filled the antechamber.

“Ella?” Perry’s low voice barely registered over my begging.

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